


Through the Looking Glass

by koichii



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M, M/M, Magic, alternative universe, done for akakuro secret santa 2 years ago, fairy tale, kinda sorta, snow white and alice in wonderland combined
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 19:05:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8726644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koichii/pseuds/koichii
Summary: "I simply cannot believe that they see you, an inferior half-blood, more desirable than me!"
"You can have the emperor. I do not desire him. Just do not be mad at me."
The laugh she let out was so cold it could freeze hell. It was the kind of laugh that sent unpleasant shivers down his spine. She touched his cheek as she leaned in closer so she could whisper in his ear. "Grandfather already ordered total annihilation of the empire, especially of your beloved emperor. You're too late, Tet~su~ya~"
[A combination of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs & a bit of Alice in Wonderland.]





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted in FanFiction.net. I decided to delete all (but one) of my works there and re-post them here (hopefully) cause FFn is suuuuuper strict.
> 
> Work is un-betaed.

_"I simply cannot believe that they see you, an inferior half-blood, more desirable than me!"_

_The boy, already used to decades of abuse, merely sighed at the hurtful words thrown at him. How can someone be so self-absorbed? "You're a half-blood as well." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He watched as her face contorted into a look of pure rage. "And we're twins. We look alike so it's not me alone. You're beautiful, too." He tried to placate her. Despite her strange obsession with beauty, he still cares for her since she was his younger sibling and twin, the blood of his blood._

_She shook her head, seemingly amused by her twin's ignorance. "You really do not comprehend it, do you? I want to be the only beautiful creature in this land. I want everybody to look up to me because of my beauty. And I don't need any rival with that." She glared at him, the hate in her teal eyes freezing him in place. He had never seen an emotion as intense as what she was displaying and it was slowly suffocating him. "Even the emperor thinks you're the most beautiful."_

_The boy almost cringed at the malice in his twin's tone. After their parents' tragic deaths, they were adopted by their grandfather, who was a known user of black magic. Their clan was feared throughout the empire and the unknown world. Their family was always hired to perform curses or kill someone. It was a life their father escaped when he married their mother. And it was a life that he and his twin were forced into. Being a direct descendant of the head, and a male at that, he was forced to undergo training to become the next head._

_And he could not stomach it. All he wanted to do was to live normally and probably become a teacher. Between the two of them, it was his twin who showed interest in taking over the clan. The beauty of power appealed too much to her and she wasn't able to resist its allure._

_But being a female, it was impossible for her to rule. And that alone fueled her rising hatred towards him. But despite her cold, cruel demeanor, he didn't have the heart to abandon her. She was the only one left of him from those happy days that seemed a lifetime ago. He would choose her over anybody and anything else in any day. He would even choose her over that special person who made him believe in happiness again. "You can have the emperor. I do not desire him. Just do not be mad at me."_

_The laugh she let out was so cold it could freeze hell. It was the kind of laugh that sent unpleasant shivers down his spine. She touched his cheek as she leaned in closer so she could whisper in his ear. "Grandfather already ordered total annihilation of the empire, especially of your beloved emperor. You're too late, Tet~su~ya~"_

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who do you think is the fairest of them all?"

"Albeit I'm loathe to say otherwise but the title of being the fairest in the land do not belong to you anymore, my queen," the mirror replied in its usual monotonous voice, totally unmindful of the growing anger of the woman standing in front of him.

"What atrocity are you saying?" the monarch snapped, rage contorting her beautiful features into an ugly one. She worked hard to eliminate all competitions when it came to being the fairest in the land and here she finds out that someone has beaten her to it? Preposterous! She must know the individual at once. "Who is it? Show me their face!"

The reflective surface of the mirror immediately morphed into a scenic view, a garden. And the queen realised, as she gazed upon it, that it was the northern garden of the palace. Moments later, a teenage girl with beautiful pink hair came into view. The girl was holding a basket in one hand full of roses. The queen's brow rose at the sight. She didn't only know the girl but they were connected for the girl was her late husband's only offspring and the princess of the kingdom of Too, Satsuki. "Satsuki, huh," she loudly mused as a sinister smile began to show on her face. "I know just what to do with you, little girl."

The mirror watched as the queen swept out of her private chambers. He knew what she planned to do with the girl. He only hoped that the girl would be able to escape her wrath.

"After all this time, you still think of that? I thought you would have learned for the past two centuries."

The boy inside the mirror turned and saw, standing a few feet away from him, another male with golden hair **.** "Nash-san, why are you here?" he asked as he instinctively took a step back when the taller male slowly approached him. Nash was the entity that guards the realm he was currently trapped in but unlike him, the other could come and go whenever he pleased.

He didn't particularly hate Nash but he didn't like him either. He was neutral to the older male though it still remained a mystery to him on how he and his twin met. And what prompted the other to imprison him there.

"Why, I wanted to see you, Tetsuya," Nash replied, a smirk growing on his face when he was able to trap the bluenet against a wall. "I got tired of hunting around Too. This place is pretty tedious to be honest. I prefer Rakuzan personally," he purred as he dipped his head and gave Tetsuya's exposed neck a long, wet lick.

Tetsuya bit his lip to stop the moans that were threatening to come out of his mouth. He had long given up on resisting Nash for he knew that it was futile. It would only end up with him being in pain for the next few days if he resisted.

He could only close his eyes and tune everything out when the older male entered him. Wishing again and again for his own death but his twin told him he's meant to be with her forever. Hopefully, forever is not a long time.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"What are we going to do, Wakamatsu-san?" Satsuki asked cheerfully as she followed the royal huntsman into the woods the next day. Contrary to common belief and despite her appearance, she wasn't a girly princess at all. Being the only child, and a girl at that, she grew up with mostly the royal guards surrounding her making it impossible to make friends with ordinary children. Her lone friend, the prince of the neighbouring kingdom, was the one who taught her boyish activities like playing ball, catching frogs on the lake, running around hallways and many others. Going into the woods on foot wasn't that of a big thing for her.

"You'll see, princess," the huntsman replied as he led her into the deeper part of the woods where it would be secure enough to carry on the task that was given to him by the queen.  _I apologise, Your Grace._

"It's quite dark in here," Satsuki commented when they finally moved to a stop. Squinting her eyes, she looked for animals that might be around. "It would be difficult for you if you plan to hunt in here, Wakamatsu-san." She then let out a soft chuckle. However, the smile on her face disappeared when the moment she turned to look at Wakamatsu, an arrow was aimed directly at her. She was speechless for a moment as her brain processed the image in front of her. "W-What are you doing, Wakamatsu-san?" she asked, her voice laced with incomprehensible fear. What in the world was happening? She and Wakamatsu-san have been friends ever since she was just a child.

The royal huntsman didn't speak. He stared at her for a moment, his weapon still aimed at her, specifically to that part of her chest where her heart was beating furiously. They stared at each other for a moment, with her paralysed because of shock and fear, and him due to his conflicted emotions. Then seconds later, he lowered his arms with a loud sigh. "I can't do it," he said, his expression torn. "Your stepmother, the queen, wants you dead, princess. She commanded me to take you deep into the woods and kill you then bring your heart to her." He averted his gaze when the pinkette gasped. "But I can't do it. I've known you since you were little and I know that you've done nothing to deserve this. I suggest you run away and never go back for she would just attempt to murder you again."

"B-But-"

"RUN!" the huntsman yelled ferociously which had the pink-haired princess running away by instinct. She ran and ran, going even deeper into the woods until she could barely see anything. Panting, she dropped to her knees only to give a start when she heard a wolf howl from a distance.  _I must run,_ she desperately thought as she got to her feet and began running once more.

She couldn't believe what she just heard from Wakamatsu. That her stepmother wanted her dead. She couldn't really think of anything that might have offended the queen for she swore, all she did was to be on her good side. Heaven knows it was what she wanted since the queen was the closest she could have to a mother figure.

She wasn't given the chance to know her real mother for the woman had died giving birth to her. Her king father remarried when she was five years of age. She longed to have a mother figure in the form of Kuroko Tetsumi but was utterly disappointed when the beautiful bluenette didn't even spare a glance at her. It was as if she was totally invisible to the newly-crowned queen.

And then her father died making Queen Tetsumi the highest ruler of Too. And she ruled over the kingdom with an iron fist. Satsuki could see the people starving on the streets since most of the produce was gathered in the palace as a tribute to the queen. She did what she could but it wasn't enough for she was just a princess who couldn't go against the decisions of the queen. Still, she tried to be close to Tetsumi or even have the bluenette talk to her but it was all in vain. The queen seemed to have eyes only for herself as she was always looking at herself in that mirror of hers that she allowed nobody to look into.

She somehow knew, deep inside her, that Tetsumi hated her. But why go as far as killing her? Maybe she wanted the kingdom for herself then?

Because she was just running blindly and not even paying the slightest attention to her surroundings, Satsuki didn't notice it when she arrived at a cliff. It was far too late when she lost her balance, trying to grasp at anything that would prevent her inevitable fall but nothing was there. Just empty air. Closing her eyes tight, the pink-haired princess braced herself for the pain.

But then there was nothing but darkness.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

Tetsuya watched with disinterest as Tetsumi opened the box she was holding, glee obvious on her beautiful face. He didn't actually know what she was happy about but he had a sinking feeling that it had something to do with the Princess Satsuki, something that he wasn't going to like.

"Tetsuya, look at this," she cheerfully said when she finally turned to him and showed him the content of the box. Because it was already in his line of vision, he had no choice but to take a glance. The moment he did, it made him wish that he didn't. For lying at the center of the box, atop a purple velvet cloth, was a red flesh caked with black goo. He knew exactly what it was for he had seen it several times in the past. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she cooed before walking away from him, not really expecting any answers. Placing the box onto the table, she then went back to stand in front of him and uttered familiar words, "Now, my lovely mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"

Tetsuya closed his eyes as he tried to search for anyone who could outshine his twin, the Queen Tetsumi, but found no one. After Princess Satsuki's demise, nobody stood in the way of the blue-haired queen anymore. "You, my queen, is the fairest of them all," he replied blankly, stubbornly refusing for the guilt of the pink princess' death to overwhelm him. He'd been living for two centuries already, being dragged around by his twin sister who refused to let him go from his prison. He was used to it, or rather forced himself to get used to it. His twin had murdered several others in the past, eating their hearts, just so she could stay the most beautiful of them all. Until now, it was still a mystery to him why Tetsumi got so addicted with the concept of beauty.

Tetsumi smiled wickedly, mirth dancing in her cold blue eyes. "Of course I am, dear Tetsuya. I'm the fairest of them all and nobody can take that away from me."

Tetsuya closed his eyes again as he tuned his twin out. In the world where he was imprisoned, inside the cursed mirror, ignoring her was the only thing he could do to defy her. He hoped that someday, someone would be able to defeat her and end her cruelty. The two hundred years of imprisonment and his own life meant little to him now. If there was anything he could do just to stop Tetsumi, even if it would cost him his life, he would do it. "Sei..."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"She's waking up!"

"Really? Let me see! Let me see!"

"Shut up!"

"Don't crowd around her so she won't be overwhelmed."

Satsuki yawned before she opened her reddish-pink orbs, her vision slowly adjusting to the brightness surrounding her. "Where am I?" she loudly mused as she sat up. Her eyes then widened when she realised that she wasn't out in the woods anymore. In fact, she was in a bed inside a huge room. She felt herself for any injuries and was relieved that she seemed to be fine despite the throbbing of her head and a few aches here and there. "What happened?"

"We were hoping you could provide the answer to that, Miss," a voice said which had her snapping her head up. Reddish-pink orbs widened even more when she finally noticed the four kids sitting on the couch, facing the bed she was in. Their ages seemed to range from 6 to 9 years to her. But then she could be wrong for the kids' eyes were gleaming with something that was akin to maturity. "We found you unconscious at the foot of the cliff near our mansion this morning," the one with the green hair said.

"Thank you for helping me," Satsuki gratefully said. "My name's Satsuki and I'm the princess of the kingdom of Too," she introduced. "What are your names?" she amiably asked, feeling a little cheerful and secure despite herself. She knew that she should be wary for these kids were practically strangers to her yet she couldn't help but feel that they weren't enemies.

"So this is what a princess looks like!" the boy with the blond hair exclaimed, his equally golden eyes sparkling in anticipation. "It's the very first time I've seen a real princess."

Satsuki began to smile at the boy's enthusiasm only to scowl when the tanned boy beside him let out a not-so-subtle snort. "Remember what we read from Shintaro's book? Modern princesses wear fancy, glittering dresses and they're pretty as well." The boy then ran his gaze on her from head to toe as if sizing her up. "Except for the size of her boobs, this woman resembles nothing like a princess."

Satsuki and the green-haired boy flushed scarlet at that, both from anger and embarrassment. "Shut up, you dark chocolate!" she yelled before the green-haired boy could open his mouth to reprimand the tanned boy perhaps.

The four kids looked surprised at her outburst. "Why didn't you tell me that you're a dark chocolate in disguise, Dai-chin?" the tall purple-haired boy asked, speaking for the first time. Hanging on the side of his mouth like a pipe was a potato stick.

"Because I'm not!" the tanned boy yelled then he glared at the blond and the greenhead who were already shaking from silent laughter. "Stop laughing!" He also glared at Satsuki who just stuck her tongue out to him. "You old hag!"

"Dark chocolate!"

"Hag!" the boy shouted back, not wanting to lose to the pinkette. "You're probably so old that your boyfriend decided to ditch you."

"You," Satsuki growled as she swiftly grabbed the pillow behind her and chucked it at the surprised tanned boy. It hit the latter square on the face that had the others laughing out loud this time. "Learn to respect your elders, you brat!"

"Excuse me!" the tanned boy glared back as he threw the pillow to the floor. "I'm way older than you, Hag."

Satsuki crossed her arms on her chest at the reply. "Huh. As if I'd believe that," she muttered. "You look like a brat to me."

"Why, you-" the tanned boy was about to do something when the door to the room suddenly opened. The five present inside turned to look at the newcomer.

It was a red-haired boy with mismatched eyes of bloody crimson and liquid gold. The boy glanced at Satsuki for a moment, causing the pinkette to scoot a little bit away from him. The princess had no idea why but instinct was telling her that she should be wary with this one. That he was someone she shouldn't anger. "Good to see you're finally awake, lady," he said before he turned to the four boys, which made them visibly flinch. It was obvious to the pinkette that they were wary of the redhead as well. "Didn't I tell you to watch over outside? Why are you all here then?" The boy's tone was calm but it still gave everybody the creeps.

"Ah, we were about to leave when we heard the princess waking up, Seicchi so we came to check on her," the blond boy nervously replied, taking caution in his words that might bring him his early death.

Fortunately for him, the redhead's attention was immediately diverted back to the pinkette. "Princess?" he repeated, his eyes zeroed in on Satsuki who gulped. "You are a princess?"

Albeit nervous, Satsuki nodded with a small smile on her face. She have to show this kid that she wasn't a threat. "Yes. My name's Satsuki Momoi and I'm the late king of Too's only daughter." She then looked around the room, her gaze boring onto each of the five children's faces. "And may I ask who all of you are?"

"I'm Seijuurou," the redhead boy replied. He then looked at the others as if silently commanding them to introduce themselves as well which they promptly did.

"Hi, princess! My name's Ryota," the blond boy cheerfully said, still giddy at the fact that he was finally able to meet a real modern princess. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ssu."

"I'm Atsushi," the tall purple-haired boy said next, still munching on a potato stick.

"The name's Shintaro," the green-haired boy, who was wearing a pair of black glasses, spoke next. It was only then that the pinkette realised that the fingers on his left hand were taped and that he was carrying a green frog plushie in it. "It's my lucky item for today," he added when he noticed that she was staring intently at the plushie.

The tanned boy snorted at that which made Shintaro glare at him. He just smirked as he returned his smug gaze to Satsuki. "I'm Daiki and you can call me Master."

"You wish," Satsuki said which had Daiki scowling at her. She just rolled her reddish-pink eyes before putting up a big smile. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you, Aka-chan, Ki-chan, Mukkun, Midorin and Dai-chan!"

The look that the five boys gave the pink-haired princess made her felt as if she had just grown three heads. "What did you just call us?" Seijuurou asked, his voice still even but his brow was already slightly raised.

"Err..." Satsuki twiddled her fingers nervously, worried that she might have had finally angered the red-haired boy. "Your names are too long so I decided to refer to you using your different hair colours. Aka, Ki, Murasaki, Midori."

"What about me?" Daiki interrupted, not liking the fact that he was being singled out.

The pinkette tapped her chin with her index finger, seemingly deep in thought. "It's weird to call you 'Ao'." She smiled widely once more. "And I think that Dai-chan sounds cute!"

Faint blushes painted Daiki's cheeks at the word 'cute' then he glared at Ryota who began to laugh. "What are you laughing at, baka?!" he asked menacingly.

"Princess called you cute! Awwww~" Ryota teasingly purred before he puckered his lips which annoyed Daiki even more. "How adorable,  _Dai-chan_."

"Shut up," Daiki snapped again then he returned his attention to Satsuki. "And I'm not cute." She just stuck her tongue out to him again in response.

"Quit fooling around," Seijuurou snapped this time, not actually minding the nickname Satsuki gave them. "Why were you unconscious out there?"

The smile on Satsuki's face completely vanished at the question. The boys, except for Seijuurou, realising the change in the princess' mood, straightened their posture, ready to listen to her explanation. "My stepmother, the queen, wanted to kill me. She sent me to the woods to be killed by the royal huntsman but he told me he couldn't do it so he let me run away and told me to never come back for the queen would just find ways to get rid of me again."

"Why would your stepmother want to kill you?" Seijuurou asked once more. "Did you do something to anger her?"

"No." Satsuki shook her head furiously. "On the contrary, I was trying my very best to get her to like me since she's the closest I could ever have for a mother." Her reddish-pink eyes turned slightly sad when she said those words. "But no matter how much I tried, it still wouldn't work. She wouldn't even look me in the eyes or care to talk to me."

"Your stepmother's a meanie, Sacchi," Ryota said with a pout. "How could anyone hate a sweet princess like you?"

"I wonder about that," Daiki piped in which had Satsuki throwing another pillow at him but he successfully evaded it this time. His grin turning smug, he raised an eyebrow at the pinkette who frowned at him.

"What do you plan to do next then?" Seijuurou asked, completely ignoring Daiki's outburst. "You can't possibly stay here forever."

"But, Seicchi!" Ryota began to protest but Seijuurou silenced him with one look. Whimpering, the little blond cowered behind Daiki who frowned at the redhead.

"Seijuurou's right, Ryota. She can't stay here," Shintaro said as he pushed his glasses up. He looked at Satsuki before continuing. "You can actually reclaim your kingdom since you're the only child of the late King."

"Do you want to go back, Sa-chin?" Atsushi asked while pulling another pack of potato stick from his pocket.

"Personally, I don't really care about being queen but I just can't leave the people suffering," Satsuki replied, her expression thoughtful. "I want to go back and save the kingdom but I have to come up with a foolproof plan first. My stepmother doesn't only have the kingdom's army backing her up but she also has some kind of magic at her disposal.

Her last statement caught Seijuurou's attention. "What kind of magic?" he asked, his tone and expression uninterested but the others could tell that he was absolutely curious.

And they knew the exact reason why.

"I don't exactly know what," Satsuki said with a shake of her head. "But she never seem to age. She looked exactly like the same when I first met her when I was five. I don't know if it was possible for a normal human to stay the same so she must have some kind of magic, right?"

"What did you say the name of your stepmother was?" Seijuurou asked, his mismatched eyes sharp all of a sudden.

"I didn't but her name's Tetsumi. Kuroko Tetsumi."

The four kids froze at the name mentioned while Seijuurou remained stoic. They were all silent for a moment, with Satsuki watching them anxiously, wondering if they knew her stepmother. "Let's make a deal," Seijuurou said after a while. "We're going to let you temporarily stay here under the condition that you take us with you when you go back to your kingdom."

The pink-haired princess looked at the redhead questioningly. "Why?" she asked, noticing the serious atmosphere permeating the room, making it seem like the children she was talking to a while ago were gone and replaced by full-grown adults. She shook her head at her thoughts.  _They're just kids, Satsuki. Stop your ridiculous imaginations._

"Let's just say that Kuroko Tetsumi had taken something important from me," Seijuurou replied as he turned and headed for the door. "And I want it back."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

Ever since then, Satsuki stayed with the five mysterious children in their mansion located at the heart of the forest. She found it peculiar that children like them were living by themselves without any adult supervision. She herself wasn't even allowed to go out alone ever since she can remember. But nevertheless, she stopped herself from asking, not sure if it would offend the kids or not.

But then, after two weeks, she couldn't contain the curiousity anymore.

"Say Ki-chan, where are your parents?" she asked one day while she and Ryota were at the backyard garden, picking cabbages and tomatoes to be cooked for dinner later. She decided to ask the blond boy for he seemed to be the friendliest of the lot. "Aren't you too young to be living here alone?"

"Yes. Yes, we are," Ryota replied with a huge smile on his face as he placed a cabbage on the basket beside him. "And as for our parents, they died a very long time ago during the War of the Mages. Seicchi took us all in and since then, we were together."

"War of the Mages?" Satsuki repeated, her mind quickly searching for any memory of the familiar term. Reddish-pink eyes then widened when she finally recalled what it was. "But the War of the Mages happened two centuries ago!" she exclaimed. "How could you be alive during that time when you're just kids?"

"I told you that we're older than you, Hag," Daiki said when he approached. Obviously, he had heard Satsuki and Ryota's conversation. The tanned boy then took the basket full of cabbage, making Ryota grin. "We were cursed to stay like this forever by a family of powerful black mages. The same family that your stepmother was a member of, the Kuro Family."

Satsuki gaped at the new information, her eyes wide like saucers. "My stepmother was that evil?"

Daiki snorted at her reaction. "If that attempt on your life didn't convince you how evil she was, maybe this can," he said. "Kuroko Tetsumi was a member of one of the most powerful wizarding families in our land, House Kuro. This family specialises in Black Magic thus their name. They almost won the War of the Mages if not for Tetsu sacrificing himself." And the snarky boy suddenly looked so sad, the pinkette's heart crying out for him.

Ryota looked down at his feet, his once cheerful expression was also replaced a gloomy one. "Yeah. Tetsucchi saved us all and now he's gone!" Daiki patted him on the shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

Satsuki's eyes narrowed a little as confusion washed over her again. "Who's Tetsu?" They weren't referring to Tetsumi, right?

"He's the twin brother of your stepmother. Kuroko Tetsuya," Daiki replied, his voice grave. "He was our close friend and he didn't approve of the ways of his family so despite of being the heir, he left them and joined us. However, in order to stop House Kuro, especially Tetsumi, he had to sacrifice himself. House Kuro was destroyed and we all thought that they're gone until recently when you arrived and told us about your stepmother."

"Apparently she was able to survive the war," Ryota chimed in, his yellow orbs troubled. He then turned his gaze to Daiki. "Do you think Tetsucchi's alive as well, Daicchi?"

"Certainly," Daiki said as he heaved the basket of cabbages in his arms. "Seijuurou said so and though it's really annoying, you know how he has never been wrong." Navy blue eyes then glanced at Satsuki and for the first time since they met, she knew that he was serious. "You better prepare yourself. Seijuurou is going to get Tetsu back at any cost. In this case, bloodshed will be inevitable."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"What do you mean she's dead?" a tall redhead with branching eyebrows exclaimed in shock when he heard the grim news his father had told him that morning. "Are you jesting me, father? Satsuki's not dead!"

"Taiga," the current king of the kingdom of Seirin let out a sigh at his son's obvious denial. He knew, as he was a witness of it, that his son was trying to win the affections of the princess of Too. And he liked the bubbly princess for his son as well. "I know it's a huge shock, son, but you have to accept that she's gone."

It was just too bad that such a tragedy happened.

"No, she's not," Taiga retorted before he bowed to his father who was now frowning at him. "I don't trust that stepmother of hers. I bet you my inheritance that she has something to do with what happened and I intend to find out, father." Then without letting the king reply, he was out of the door.

The king just let out another sigh when Taiga was gone. He could not argue with his son about the latter's opinion on Queen Tetsumi for he himself could feel that something wasn't right with the current ruling monarch of Too.

It was as if his instinct was telling him that she was hiding a big secret behind that beautiful face of hers.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"So Daiki and Ryota finally told you the truth?"

Seijuurou's sudden question during dinner earned him various reactions: Satsuki, for one, stared at him with wide reddish-pink eyes, her hand stilling midway in the air while Daiki and Ryota went deathly pale, fear obvious in their eyes. Shintaro, on the other hand, glared sharply at the two terrified boys before his green eyes moved to scrutinize Satsuki. Atsushi, meanwhile, paused for a moment before he decided he couldn't care less and resumed eating.

The red-haired boy would've found all of their reactions amusing if it was on another time. But right now, he needed to know what the pink-haired princess thoughts were. "I know everything, Satsuki," he added when she just went on staring at him with wide eyes. "Tell me your thoughts."

And Satsuki knew that it was a direct order, and she wasn't one to disobey it lest she earn the wrath of the scary redhead. Faking a cough, she set down her spoon and straightened on her seat, her eyes focused onto expectant mismatched ones. "I was shocked and mortified about what I learned," she began. "I mean, I knew that my stepmother was evil but to actually belong to one of the most powerful mage clan in history was something else. She absolutely must be stopped but how can I do that when she's that powerful?"

"We're going to help you, Sacchi!" Ryota exclaimed, her usually cheerful voice now filled with utmost seriousness and before the pinkette could reply, he have already turned his attention to Seijuurou. "Right, Seicchi?"

"Tell me your impression on Tetsumi," Seijuurou said without even bothering to acknowledge Ryota. "Anything that was remarkable to you."

Satsuki looked thoughtful for a while as the others went on with dinner, silently paying attention to Seijuurou's subtle interrogation of the pinkette. "She was probably the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on." She then pouted when she saw the kids' looks of disapproval. "What can I do? I really like her face and she's so vain she doesn't want anyone else to look into that antique mirror of hers," she defended herself, totally missing how Seijuurou stiffened at her words.

"Antique mirror?" the redhead repeated, his real feelings still hidden within that façade of disinterest. "It's common for a palace to have antique mirrors."

"Of course it is," Satsuki agreed with a nod. "I have one for myself even, but that mirror was hers. She brought it with her when father married her, and she kept it close to her in her bedroom in her own chambers. I just accidentally stumbled upon it when Taiga-kun and I were playing hide and seek once."

"Did you take a peek on the mirror?" Shintaro was the one who asked this time.

Satsuki shook her head in response. "I was so mesmerized by its intricate design that all I did was touch it. I was about to look into the mirror but Tetsumi arrived and almost caught me there."

"Give me your hand," Seijuurou suddenly said which confused Satsuki. Nevertheless, she obeyed. Despite the cryptic order, she knew that he had something in mind. "The hand that touched the mirror," he added.

The pinkette immediately placed her right hand onto the redhead's smaller one, silently questioning what he was up to. "Huh!" she gasped when flames suddenly engulfed hers and Seijuurou's linked hands. "What–"

"Hush," the redhead commanded as their hands began to glow. The other boys seemed unfazed by it so Satsuki calmed herself as well. And despite its obvious appearance as crimson fire, it only warmed her skin, not burning it. What was the redhead doing?

Several minutes passed by with Seijuurou and Satsuki's hands enveloped by the crimson ice before the redhead finally let go of her. Then with a quick glance at her and the other boys, and his eyes flashing dangerously, the redhead spoke.

"I found Tetsuya."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest one of all?"

Holding back a sigh, Tetsuya glanced at Tetsumi's jovial expression. In the past two centuries that he had been imprisoned inside the mirror, he could sometimes catch a glimpse of the young girl he once knew and loved. Just like now, with Tetsumi's good mood, she looked like the happy little girl once upon a time.

And he would absolutely hate disappointing her.

"I deeply regret informing you, my lady, but it seems like you have failed in your plan of eliminating Princess Satsuki for until now, she remains to be the fairest in the land," he informed, feeling a little twinge in his chest when Tetsumi's satisfied expression disappeared and was now replaced by unparalleled anger.

"What nonsense are you spouting, Tetsuya? Satsuki is dead. You saw her heart that the royal huntsman brought." But even with her words, the queen looked suspicious. With narrowed eyes, she commanded, "Show me Satsuki."

"I apologise for I cannot do that." He determinedly met Tetsumi's glare as he said those words. "Princess Satsuki is currently in a place that prevents any black magic from entering."

Tetsumi's scowl deepened at the information Tetsuya had given her. If it was stopping Tetsuya's, the Kuro family's, black magic, then it could only mean one place. "How did you know it was her?" she asked, suspicions rousing in her. Has Satsuki managed to enlist their protection? And did the pinkette already told them about her?

"I had a glimpse of Princess Satsuki for a second," Tetsuya replied, fully knowing what was running on Tetsumi's mind as of the moment. "It seemed like she was able to have physical contact with me for she was able to connect with me."  _Though unknowingly,_ he wanted to add but didn't for he wanted to scare Tetsumi and put a crack on her sense of security.

For if what he felt was real, and it damn well be, Kuroko Tetsumi's reign is almost over.

The warmth brought by that familiar magic was undeniable and until now, Tetsuya's body still tingled. Contrary to what he told his twin, he had seen more. He had actually seen the Princess Satsuki surrounded by familiar faces that he never thought he would see again, though they all looked remarkably younger. Like Satsuki, they were also unaware that he could see them.

Except for a pair of mismatched eyes – crimson and liquid gold – who was staring right back at him at that moment.

_I found Tetsuya._

Tetsuya was grateful that he was excellent at hiding his emotions and that Tetsumi was always pre-occupied with herself to notice that something has definitely changed in his aura after two centuries.

Because the once cold, lifeless shell of a teenage boy was now surrounded by a familiar crimson warmth that to him, resembled hope.

"On the other hand, my lady, Prince Taiga of the kingdom of Seirin is headed here."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"What's the plan, Seijuurou?" Daiki, who seemed to be less than a brat than he was before, asked when the redhead remained absolutely silent after his declaration earlier that he had finally found Tetsuya.

Shintaro, Ryota, Atsushi, and even Satsuki, all focused their attention on Seijuurou, their gazes expectant. After the redhead's shocking declaration earlier, they all wanted to head to the kingdom of Too and rescue the bluenet that they always considered family. For two centuries, they had been trying to find out what happened to Tetsuya after the destruction of House Kuro. They theorized, they speculated, but they weren't able to find proof that he was still alive.

Not until Seijuurou's declaration.

"Where did you see him, Seijuurou?" Shintaro asked when the redhead still didn't speak. In fact, he looked like he was deep in thought.

Seijuurou blinked, seemingly waking up from a stupor. "Tetsuya is inside that mirror," he answered then he looked at Satsuki whose eyes had widened again in shock. "A little amount of Tetsuya's magic was transferred to you when you had physical contact with the mirror. I found traces of it in you and was able to find him through it."

"Thank you, Sacchi!" Ryota exclaimed, his eyes glistening with tears. His happy expression was enough to melt all of the occupants in the dining area.

They all know how he felt. After all, they feel the same.

"How are we going to save him if he's inside that mirror, Aka-chan?" Satsuki asked. Though she haven't met the bluenet yet, she already thought of him as a friend.

And if she could help save Tetsuya from the hands of wicked Tetsumi, she will do everything in her power to do so.

The five kids shot Satsuki a grateful look at her desire to help. The purple-haired boy, Atsushi, leaned forward to get another carrot stick. "We'll just have to break the mirror, right, Sei-chin?"

"But that could kill Tetsu," Daiki piped up.

"For once, you're thinking Daiki," Shintaro retorted which had Daiki glaring at him.

"Shut up, tsundere!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to return home earlier, Satsuki," Seijuurou said, totally ignoring the ongoing argument between Daiki and Shintaro. "We will be with you, don't worry."

"But–"

"We may not look like it, but we're the strongest mages to have ever lived, Sacchi!" Ryota exclaimed cheerfully when he noticed the hesitation in Satsuki's face. "And we will protect you, ssu!"

"Though loathe to agree with this idiot, he's right," Shintaro said which earned him a pout from Ryota while Atsushi, his mouth full of food, nodded in agreement.

"You can count on me to protect you, Hag," Daiki bragged only to have Satsuki hit him in the head with her fist. "Oi! That hurt! What the hell was that about?!" he exclaimed as he held his throbbing head.

"Don't call me hag!" Satsuki exclaimed. "How can you protect me when you can't even handle my fist?"

Ryota laughed at that while Atsushi and Shintaro smirked. Seijuurou just looked bored. Daiki, on the other hand, glared at Satsuki even more, his pride wounded. "Ha! If you must know, I'm the strongest of us five!"

"No one asked," she shot back which had the others laughing out loud this time.

Seijuurou cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention which didn't prove futile for they all immediately looked at him. "Satsuki, Daiki, and Ryota will head to the kingdom of Too first with Shintaro and Atsushi not far from behind. We should not go all at once lest we fall into a trap." He knew that when he was able to locate Tetsuya, he knew that the bluenet realised it. And if the bluenet knew, Tetsumi might possibly know by now as well.

And he wouldn't let himself, or his friends, walk into a trap if ever.

"Why do I have to go with her?" Daiki grumbled as Ryota cheered into the background. He and Satsuki glared at each other.

"We need our best fighters up front, Daiki," Shintaro answered the tanned boy's rhetorical question. "And we expect you and Ryota to bring Satsuki back safe."

"I'm going to crush you, too, Ryo-chin, Dai-chin, if I ever see a scratch on Sa-chin," Atsushi calmly said, as if he didn't just threaten his friends.

Satsuki sweat dropped as Ryota and Daiki began to argue with each other with the sound of Shintaro's grumbling and Atsushi's chewing in the background. She sighed before she returned her attention to Seijuurou, who was looking all composed, despite all the commotion. "Are you going to kill Tetsumi, Aka-chan?"

The noise died at the pinkette's question and their attentions returned to Seijuurou once more. The redhead, who looked amused, shrugged his shoulders. "If she comes in between me and Tetsuya again, I will gut her out."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"What do you think, Tetsuya? It looks delicious, right?"

Blank baby blue eyes stared at the luscious red apple presented in front of him by his twin sister. He had watched her create said fruit last night and despite its alluring look, he knew that the apple was incredibly poisonous. Even one small bite would put a person in eternal sleep.

Only to be woken up by true love's kiss.

"True love is elusive for people like Satsuki, whose existence is defined by service to their kingdom. And before that true love comes,  _if_ it really does, she'd be a decaying mass of bones," Tetsumi murmured to herself as she moved around the room, almost skipping, if she's really capable of doing one.

"And what do you think of Kagami Taiga, Tetsuya? Should I seduce him and marry him so we can annex Seirin, too?" Tetsumi went on her rant as she continued to admire the apple she made. "It's like hitting two birds in one stone, to be honest. I can have Seirin and I can also keep Satsuki's true love from her. Yes, what a brilliant plan."

Tetsuya let out a deep sigh when Tetsumi left the room. He knew he had to warn Satsuki about his twin's sinister plan but he doesn't know how. If only Seijuurou would initiate contact with him again. Being trapped inside Nash's realm, he couldn't use his own magic from the inside to the outside.

He's banking on Seijuurou right now to stop Tetsumi for his action inside the mirror was very limited. _Tetsumi must be stopped in any way._

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"Young lady, can you spare me a glass of water?"

From pruning the roses in the front garden, Satsuki looked up to find an old woman standing beside her. Despite the surprise she felt seconds ago, the pinkette immediately eased up to the woman as she smiled. "Of course," she said as she motioned to the table setting in the garden. "You can sit there while I get you water." Then with that, she left the old woman and went back inside the mansion, not even bothering to question how an old lady was able to reach the heart of the forest.

Conveniently, she was all alone in the mansion that morning for the boys had errands to run before they execute their plan on invading Too. Daiki and Ryota were out scoping the terrain and finding easier and faster paths to reach the kingdom. Shintaro and Atsushi, decided to do some recon about Too and its army, and planned defensive strategies out well. Seijuurou, meanwhile, was out to heaven knows where. Satsuki, despite her excellent analytical skills, couldn't, for the life of her, figure out what's running in the mind of the red-haired boy.

The old woman was already seated by the garden, fanning herself with her hand, when Satsuki returned with fresh tea and the leftover cake made by Atsushi yesterday. However, what caught the pink-haired princess' eyes was the basket situated atop the marble table. It was filled with delicious-looking apples that made her mouth unconsciously water.

"Do you want to have a taste?" the old woman, who noticed the way the princess stared at the apples, asked. She smiled at Satsuki when the latter turned to look at her. "I'm actually headed to the kingdom of Too to offer them to the queen since they're my best produce but I wouldn't mind giving a kind girl like you a few."

"You don't really have to, obaa-chan," Satsuki refused politely as she set the tray down the table. Her reddish-pink eyes then widened in surprise when the moment she turned her gaze back to the old woman, she was met by a shiny red apple.

"How about one, dear?" the old woman asked, almost cooing. And if Satsuki wasn't so taken by the beautiful, juicy-looking apple, she would've noticed how the old woman's eyes glimmered a familiar blue. "I would be very happy if you have a taste. I grew them with love and hard work and it's fulfilling to see others enjoy the fruits of your work."

Satsuki, convinced and touched by the old woman's words, smiled as she happily accepted the alluring fruit. "It's so beautiful, obaa-chan," she murmured, her expression positively entranced by the fruit she was holding.

"Why don't you have a bite?" the old woman coaxed, almost impatiently. "Then tell me how it tastes."

"Okay," the pink-haired princess said and without any word, took a bite of the apple she was holding. "It's so–" words ceased to flow out of her mouth when she suddenly felt weird, as if something was choking her. Dropping the apple to the ground, she fell out of her chair as she gasped for breath.

"How does it taste, Satsuki dear?" The gasping pinkette lifted her head at the sound of the familiar feminine voice and her eyes widened both in shock and fear when she saw, through teary eyes, Tetsumi hovering over her. Tetsumi crouched down beside her and pushed away the silky pink hair from her face. "You gave me a hard time, you know that? I even have to use a significant amount of magic just to get past your protectors," she murmured as she watched the life slowly drain out of the pink princess. "But it was all worth it for your soul is now mine." She watched as a little spark of light came out of the now lifeless Satsuki's mouth. With a wave of her hand, the spark flew to her and disappeared inside a small vial she held open. Then with one last look at Satsuki's lifeless form, she disappeared back into the forest.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

_*GROWL*_

Taiga let out a sigh when he heard the loud rumble his stomach made. Looking up at the clear blue sky, he deemed that it was already noon and he needed to fill his demanding body before moving on to his solo journey.

After his talk with his king father, he immediately departed for the kingdom of Too. And because he didn't want to alert Queen Tetsumi of his visit, he deemed it best to travel alone and not take the kingsroad. So the three-day travel from Seirin to Too if one goes through the kingsroad, became a whole week for he had to travel around the kingdom and pass through the Enchanted Forest to reach it undetected.

And speaking of the Enchanted Forest, Taiga stared at the opening of trees up ahead. He knew that it was the Western entrance to the infamous Enchanted Forest. It has earned its name exactly a hundred and fifty years ago when people, tourists and locals alike, began to disappear inside the forest only to reappear days later with no memories of those days that they were gone, except for one thing: they would always say that what they only remember is a huge mansion situated at the heart of the forest. Up to this day, however, nobody has ever proven the existence of a mansion in the heart of the Enchanted Forest for people, if they could, tend to avoid the place.

But Taiga, either due to stupidity or stubbornness, only shrugged off the stories. If he could find the rumoured mansion, then good for he would have a roof to sleep under tonight. He only have one goal in mind and that is to get to Satsuki. Despite the news he received, he knew deep inside that she's alive somewhere.

Though he's fairly certain as well that she's in utmost danger.

Gritting his teeth, he let his horse graze while he sat down for lunch. He would enter the Enchanted Forest after eating and damn if he'd let the rumours meddle with his mind.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

Immediately after eating, Taiga then hurried towards the Enchanted Forest. His stallion, surprisingly or not, whined in discomfort at being directed to the infamous forest. Maybe it could feel something while he could not?

Though his question about his stallion's reaction was answered the moment they got actually inside. The big ass trees surrounding the Enchanted Forest that almost covered the sky were expected. What he didn't expect though was the aura of gloom permeating the air.

It was as if the forest was mourning over something.

Despite the foreboding aura, the red-haired prince of Seirin forced his stallion to go deeper. They have to be at least halfway and find a place to rest before the sun sets. He only hoped that he could be able to find a safe temporary hideout other than these huge ass trees.

After two hours of travelling along the quiet forest, Taiga reached a clearing. Breathing a sigh of relief at the sunlight that hit his face, he wasn't quick to notice the huge mansion standing in the middle of the thousand-hectare clearing. Red eyes widened when he realised what he was looking at. He had finally reached the heart of the Enchanted Forest!

And here, he mused as he urged his stallion to approach the mansion, the stench of grief was the strongest.

The first thing he noticed the moment he reached the mansion's front yard were the rose bushes of different colours. A small smile appeared on his lips when he remembered that Satsuki loved roses, especially the pink and yellow ones. The mansion and the roses were beautiful but still, it didn't lessen the atmosphere of despair hanging around it.

His natural curiousity and recklessness spurring, Taiga climbed down his horse and left it to graze outside. Cautiously taking in the stillness of his surrounding, he moved forward past the rose bushes and arrived at the garden. Red eyes then widened at what he saw.

For there, situated in the middle of the garden filled with beautiful rose bushes, was a glass coffin holding a very familiar person. "No…" he murmured as his feet unconsciously moved, bringing him closer to the object of his affection. "Satsuki…"

"Take another step and you will find yourself with no legs at all."

His senses on high alert, Taiga immediately pulled out his sword as he whipped towards the direction of the one who spoke. His scowl was then replaced with confusion when he saw the two boys – one a dark blue head and the other a blond – standing a few feet from him looking as if they would eat him alive.

"Who are you?" the blond demanded in a serious voice, making Taiga realise that it was the blue-head who spewed out the threat earlier. "Were you the one who hurt Sacchi?" Tears then filled the blond's eyes the moment he asked the question.

The bluenet beside the blond gave the latter a comforting pat on the head before he returned his sharp gaze onto the still motionless Taiga. "Are you going to speak or not? I can cut that useless tongue of yours if you don't."

"You're incredibly brave for someone so small." Taiga didn't know what came upon him when he said those words. He actually intended to introduce himself when he saw the blond's tears but the bluenet's arrogant words irritated him to no end.

"Shut up, double brows," the bluenet snapped which had Taiga's scowl deepening. "I can take you on anytime."

"Why don't you try?"

"What the–"

"Now is not the time for that, Daiki," another voice said which had the bluenet, whose name was Daiki, freezing up. Taiga lifted a curious brow at that before he turned to the newcomers – three other boys with colourful hairs of red, green, and purple. Seriously, what's up with all of their colourful heads, including him and Satsuki?

All those ridiculous thoughts of his, however, vanished the moment the redhead with heterochromatic eyes spoke again.

"Welcome, Kagami Taiga. We have been waiting for your arrival."

"We were?" Daiki repeated incredulously but was silenced when the redhead, who seemed to be their leader, threw him a pointed look.

"Who are you? How did you know my name?" Taiga asked, confusion in his voice and expression. "And why is Satsuki inside…" he trailed off as his gaze went to the glass coffin that contained the woman he loved.

The atmosphere surrounding the boys, even Daiki, changed the moment Taiga mentioned Satsuki. The blond sniffed while Daiki wrapped an arm around him and brought their heads together. The green-haired boy turned his head away and the purple-head who was munching on a potato stick stopped his chewing. Only the redhead, the smallest of the group, remained stoic. "Satsuki has been cursed by Kuroko Tetsumi," the redhead answered, confirming the Seirin prince's suspicions about the monarch being evil. "The curse can only be broken by true love's kiss and that's where you would come in." He ignored the way Taiga's cheeks flamed at the thought of him kissing Satsuki. "However, Kuroko Tetsumi took Satsuki's soul with her so we need to retrieve it first in order to break the curse, and you would help us with that. I'm Akashi Seijuurou, by the way."

"Midorima Shintaro," the green-haired boy introduced himself with a nod before looking away again.

"Murasakibara Atsushi," the purple-head, who had resumed eating by then, told Taiga.

"H-Hi, I'm K-Kise Ryota," the blond, who was still in the arms of Daiki, introduced himself next.

"Aomine Daiki," the tanned boy grumbled as he glared at the red-haired Seirin prince. "You better break the curse and save Satsuki or I'm going to have your head."

A nerve twitched in Taiga's forehead at Daiki's threat. "You have the guts, Ahomine."

"Shut up, Bakagami!"

"You are familiar with the layout of the palace, correct?" Seijuurou's voice pulled Taiga away from the glaring session he had with Daiki.

"Yes, of course," the Seirin heir replied with a small nod. "Satsuki and I used to play there when we were kids." His eyes then drifted towards the lifeless Satsuki once more as his memories with her resurfaced. Sadness and longing immediately showed up in his eyes as he went on staring at her. Even in death, she was still so beautiful, so exquisite.

It even looked as if she was only sleeping and would wake up later.

If he noticed how Taiga looked at Satsuki, Seijuurou didn't show it. "Excellent. Then we'll immediately head to Tetsumi's chambers. We have strong proof that she's keeping Satsuki's soul inside that antique mirror she owned."

"So magic is real?" Taiga, whose brows shot up once more, asked. For the ten and eight years that he had been alive, he has yet to witness real magic. In a world dominated by politics and reason, he never had any encounter about magic and anything related to it aside from the history books that he was forced to study.

Teiko, the last empire to ever utilize magic, was destroyed two centuries ago during the War of the Mages. After the demise of the empire, it was divided into small kingdoms and thus the birth of the current six kingdoms. And between those kingdoms, magic was strictly forbidden because of the destruction it brought after the war.

Red eyes widened for the nth time that day when crimson flames suddenly surrounded Seijuurou. And as he stared at the beautiful crimson, something clicked in the red-haired Seirin prince's head. "You're the last emperor of Teiko, Akashi Seijuurou!"

Sometimes, it actually pays to listen to one's lessons.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

It was cold and dark when Satsuki woke up. Frantic, she looked around the place she was in but could only see nothing but endless darkness. Where was she? All she could remember was that she choked on the apple Tetsumi had given her.

She then gasped as reddish-pink orbs widened in realisation. Tetsumi had somehow found out she wasn't dead yet and had disguised herself as an old lady who offered Satsuki the poisonous apple. And she, being the gullible girl that she was, immediately trusted the old lady.

She might have even placed her new friends in danger because of her stupidity.

Unable to stop the sobs that came, she buried her face in the palm of her hands. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something bad happened to her friends because of her.

"Hush, princess. Stop crying," a monotonous voice suddenly said beside her which made her shriek and jump in surprise. Despite the tears, she could clearly make out the form of a young man with teal hair and eyes, the same as Tetsumi's, staring at her. Along with the realisation who this young man was, was also the realisation where she was imprisoned.

"I-I'm… inside the mirror…?"

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"How was Kuroko Tetsumi able to locate Satsuki?" Taiga asked as he and the five boys, whom he now knew as the Generation of Miracles or the most powerful mages during ancient times, headed to Too. "If she's staying with you five in your mansion, it would be difficult to locate her, right?" They had left immediately after securing Satsuki's body in the mansion.

Shintaro, Daiki, Atsushi, and Ryota remained silent at that as their gazes flew to Seijuurou who was in front of them, looking all regal atop his snow-white horse named Yukimaru. "You have a point, Taiga," the smaller redhead spoke after a few seconds of silence. "With the magic barrier we conjured around the forest, it would be next to impossible to find us unless we willed it. We didn't want Satsuki found, I assure you," he added when the Seirin prince began to glare at him. "It just happened that Tetsumi knew the weakness of that barrier. Or she seemed to have guessed right. I'm betting on the latter."

"Weakness?" Taiga repeated, not quite grasping the idea of the Generation of Miracles having a weakness. "What kind of weakness?"

"The barrier around the forest repels all kinds of magic thus protecting us from strangers," Shintaro explained. "If you weren't an ordinary human, you wouldn't be able to enter at all."

"And though we designed our barrier like that, we made it possible for one kind to be able to pass through," Ryota, who was seated behind Daiki atop his horse, chimed in.

"So that magic was your weakness? That anyone possessing that magic can simply pass through?" Taiga asked which earned him series of nods. "And what magic is that? And most importantly, why would you retain a weakness like that?"

"Because only Tetsu-chin can perform that kind of magic," Atsushi, who was leaving crumbs in their wake, answered this time. "And we're waiting for Tetsu-chin to come back."

"It's like leaving the door open only for Tetsu," Daiki said and though his voice sounded level, Taiga could hear an uncharacteristic sadness in it.

And the red-haired prince of Seirin grew even more confused. "Who is Tetsu? And you still haven't told me about his magic." Was there a magic in this world that he didn't read in the books yet?

Seijuurou glanced at Taiga over his shoulder for a moment before his eyes returned to the road in front of him. And with a quiet voice, something that Taiga wouldn't have heard if he wasn't paying attention, he answered, "The Heir of the Kuro Clan, Kuroko Tetsuya and his magic was the rarest of all for only the direct heir can use it – the magic of misdirection."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"So Sei and everyone else were really looking for me?"

Satsuki nodded with a smile at Tetsuya's question. After the bluenet managed to calm her down, the two of them decided to sit and talk. She then went on telling him about her experiences with the five boys she befriended at the forest. "Yes. In fact, before what happened to me happened, we were planning to get back to Too and save you."

The small smile and the unshed tears of joy glistening in the bluenet's eyes melted Satsuki's heart. Had she met Kuroko Tetsuya in different circumstances, she would've easily fallen for her.

Too bad though for he seemed to be harbouring deep feelings for Seijuurou.

_In another life then,_ she mused. "Aka-chan was quite intimidating though," she whined.

Tetsuya laughed softly and the sound of his laughter seemed like music to Satsuki's ear. "It's Sei, alright. He has to be intimidating for he's the emperor. No one would believe him if he didn't exude authority so you have to excuse him, Satsuki-san."

"I know that," Satsuki said, mentally keeping a note of Seijuurou being an emperor. "It's just that you two are the exact opposite of each other yet despite that, you fell in love."

Tetsuya blushed furiously at Satsuki's words which made the pinkette giggle. "You're quite observant, Satsuki-san," he commented which made Satsuki giggle again. He smiled. "Speaking of love, do you know that Taiga-kun is headed to Too as well? He didn't believe it when his king father told him that you were dead. He's really in love with you, isn't he?"

"Don't tease me!" Satsuki exclaimed as she cupped her flaming cheeks with both hands. She pouted at Tetsuya when the latter laughed again, this time it was directed to her. "You–"

"TETSUYA!" the pinkette's words were cut off at the angry shout that filled the void inside the mirror. Satsuki whimpered softly as she unconsciously hid behind Tetsuya, who stiffened. "TETSUYA! WHERE IN SEVEN HELLS ARE YOU?!"

Tetsuya, who thought that Tetsumi was in front of the mirror, opened his mouth to speak. But before he could conjure a looking glass so he could see his twin, she suddenly appeared a few feet away from him and Satsuki. "What… Why are you inside?" he asked, surprise in his usual blank voice. It was the first time Tetsumi entered Nash's realm, and Tetsuya didn't feel so good about it.

Tetsumi, instead of answering, turned her glare at Satsuki, who hid even more behind Tetsuya. "YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" the monarch yelled as she suddenly pulled Satsuki by the hair even before Tetsuya could react. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!" She pushed the terrified girl to the floor and was about to hit her with the sword they didn't notice she was carrying when Tetsuya stopped her. She glared back at her brother who was holding the arm she had lifted. "You have the nerve to interfere with my affairs, Tetsuya," she hissed, silently telling the bluenet with her eyes to back off or else punishment awaits him.

But Tetsuya, deciding that enough was enough, tightened his hold on Tetsumi's arm. The satisfaction he felt when he heard her wince was totally worth it. "Stop this madness already, Tetsumi. Let Satsuki go."

Tetsumi was silent for a moment before she pulled away from Tetsuya's grasp. Then without any warning, she moved her hands holding the sword and stabbed it straight right into her twin brother's chest. Tetsuya and Satsuki froze for a moment, their eyes wide in shock with the bluenet male barely registering the pain. His mouth then opened in a silent scream when Tetsumi pulled the sword out of her brother's chest. He then fell down on his knees, ice slowly encasing his body as his heart pounded furiously. "N-No…" he gasped, knowing fully what their family's greatsword, Ice, was capable of.

When stabbed through the heart with it, one doesn't die. Instead, one is put into an eternal slumber within the ice.

But before the ice could fully claim him, Tetsuya reached out to a still frozen Satsuki, his hand glowing. "I… K-Kuroko Tetsuya… First of My Name, Lord of House Kuro and of the Great Mages of the North, h-hereby grant S-Satsuki Momoi one of the rarest m-magic ever known to m-mankind…" Then with those words, the glow from Tetsuya's hand brightened even more, temporarily blinding Tetsumi and Satsuki.

When darkness returned, Tetsumi found herself alone with the now frozen Tetsuya. As her angered scream filled the void, her mad teal orbs pinned on her motionless twin brother, a sinister smile then showed on her lips. "Let's see if Akashi Seijuurou can save you this time. I would really love to see him suffer once more, my beloved,  _Tet~su~ya~_ "

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

They attacked at dawn where majority of the kingdom's forces were still groggy from sleep. Because of that, the Generation of Miracles, along with Taiga, easily invaded the palace and immobilized the rest of Too's forces.

"Where is she?" Taiga demanded as he held the commander of the royal guard immobile with the tip of his sword. The six of them separated when they got inside so as to make their search faster, though he was with Seijuurou. And the prince of Seirin noted that the smaller redhead has yet to say a word. "Where is Kuroko Tetsumi?!"

"She's in her chambers, Taiga," Seijuurou spoke before the commander could answer Taiga. The soldier in question swallowed hard in fear when the child's steely mismatched gaze focused on him. "In that mirror of hers." His gaze then returned to the commander. "Lead the way please."

The commander, who dare not disobey Seijuurou's order, immediately moved. Taiga's sword was now sheathed as he and the leader of the Generation of Miracles followed the commander. In less than a minute, they reached Queen Tetsumi's chambers. "We're only here for Kuroko Tetsumi so you and everyone else better leave."

"But Queen Tetsumi–"

The commander's protests died in his throat when he felt a dark aura behind Taiga. He and the red-haired Seirin prince slowly backed away from Seijuurou who was staring at them with blank mismatched orbs. Despite the fear enveloping him, the commander couldn't, for the life of him, understand how one kid can have this effect on him.

Oh, if he only knew.

"Leave," the red-haired boy said before he turned and entered Tetsumi's chambers, not bothering to check if Taiga followed him.

He knew, the moment he stepped inside her chambers, that it was devoid of any presence, human or not. He heard Taiga follow him inside as his gaze travelled around the room, before it landed onto the bedroom. Without any other word, he approached it.

Taiga immediately followed him, his senses on high alert. Something about Tetsumi's absence didn't seem right. "Oi, Sei–" words ceased to flow out of his mouth when his eyes landed on the huge antique mirror situated inside Tetsumi's bedroom. The mirror, its borders the colour of silver, was held together by two cherubs that looked nowhere near gentle. And when he stepped beside Seijuurou, who now stood in front of the mirror, he was surprised that he couldn't see his reflection at all. In fact, all he could see was a dark void that seemed to have stretched on forever. "Satsuki is in there?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

_And Tetsuya,_ Seijuurou mused as his hand subconsciously clutched the part of his chest where his pounding heart was located. He wasn't scared of what may be waiting for them ahead. No, it was the opposite. His heart couldn't contain the excitement, along with the apprehension, that he was feeling as of the moment.

For after two hundred years of agony, he would see his beloved Tetsuya again.

He lifted his left hand to touch the mirror's dark surface. The smooth glass rippled like bothered still water the moment his fingertips came in contact with it. Then slowly, he pushed his hand until he was halfway inside it. "Never let your guard down, Taiga," he said before he let the mirror completely swallow him.

Just as he expected, the realm inside the mirror was fully sheathed with darkness. But despite that, Seijuurou knew that there was something that's keeping the light since he could see himself. Looking around, he noticed that the whole place looked exactly the same.

"Now what?" Taiga, who had followed him by then, asked as he looked around the void as well. "How are we going to find Satsuki?"

Seijuurou opened his mouth to shush Taiga but before he could do it, he noticed, at the corners of his eyes, a faint glow. The red-haired Seirin prince must've seen it as well for he immediately turned and ran towards the source of the glow before Seijuurou could stop him. "Satsuki!"

"Taiga, stop!" Seijuurou yelled as he ran after the taller redhead. He felt, a second too late, what the glow was. And if approached without caution, it could damage someone, especially a mere human like Kagami Taiga. "Tsk," he irritably clicked his tongue as he lifted his left hand and began to write something in thin air.

Taiga, whose sole attention was focused on the glow that was getting bigger and bigger by the passing second, didn't hear Seijuurou's yell of warning. His red eyes widened when he saw a sobbing Satsuki on the floor surrounded by a light blue glow. "Satsuki!" he called her name once more as he tried to reach out to her.

But before he could make contact with either Satsuki or the glow, he harshly bumped against something that was akin to a wall. "Oww!" he exclaimed in pain as he rubbed his forehead. "What–" he stopped what he was about to say when he realised that a crimson fire-like barrier had prevented him from reaching Satsuki, who was by now looking at him in surprise.

"You would've been obliterated into nothingness if you made contact with the magic surrounding Satsuki," Seijuurou spoke from behind Taiga which made the taller redhead go pale. "I told you not to let your guard down, right?"

"B-But… how can we save her?" Taiga asked as he returned his gaze to Satsuki who was staring back at him with pure longing in her reddish-pink orbs.

"Satsuki is safest being inside that magic barrier, Taiga," Seijuurou replied. He then decided to explain swiftly when the red-haired Seirin prince stared at him in confusion, silently telling him to elaborate. "This is Tetsuya's magic, misdirection. Albeit its main function is to divert attention away from its user and those surrounded by the magic, it can also function both for offense and defense. The one around Satsuki," Seijuurou motioned to the light blue glow surrounding the pink-haired princess. "It's one of the variations of the magic wherein it attracts too much attention, practically everyone's, before it destroys everything that dares to get in contact with it. This variation, so to speak, serves not only for defense but for offense as well."

"We need to get her out of here," Taiga said, not really caring about how the magic worked. All he cared about now was how to get Satsuki out there safe.

"And that's what we will do," Seijuurou answered before he turned to Satsuki. "Satsuki, who gave that magic to you?" he asked although he already knew the answer to his question.

"I-It was Tetsu-kun…" Satsuki replied with a small sob as fresh tears began to fall down her cheeks again. "A-Aka-chan… you have to save Tetsu-kun. The queen hurt him with… w-with that big sword…"

And Seijuurou felt something in him rip at Satsuki's words. Did Tetsumi use Ice on Tetsuya?  _No, no._ Closing his eyes, he heaved a deep breath to calm himself. He had been acquainted far longer with House Kuro to know what the clan's greatsword, Ice, can do. "I will, Satsuki, but we have to get you out of here first. In order to do that, you have to calm down." The only way to deactivate the magic of misdirection was for its user to voluntarily stop using it or get killed. And obviously, he can't, and won't, kill Satsuki.

"H-How should I do that?" Satsuki asked, hysterical, which he knew would not do them any good. Based on experience, he knew that the strength of the magic relies on the ability of its user to control it. And with the pinkette's state of emotion, it would only be a matter of time before she explodes, effectively destroying the whole of the dark realm beyond the mirror.

Without missing a beat, Seijuurou turned to look at the anxious Taiga. Sensing his stare, the taller redhead looked back at him. "What?"

"Calm Satsuki down," Seijuurou ordered, his tone and expression absolutely calm despite the chaos that was bound to happen soon. "And do it fast before we all end up dead here."

"Satsuki," Taiga called, his tone calm this time which secretly impressed Seijuurou. When the pinkette looked at him, he gave her a soft smile. "I had a talk with father and he said he approved of you to be my queen." The Seirin heir's cheeks went red at that confession.

"Y-You… You want me to be your queen?" Satsuki asked, their current situation temporarily forgotten, with the surprise she got from Taiga's confession.

"Of course! It's because I like you!" Taiga grew even more red as he swiftly covered his mouth with both of his hands when he realised how tactless he had become. Seijuurou would've found it amusing if they weren't in a dire situation as of the moment.

"I like you, too, Taiga-kun!" The crimson and azure magic separating the couple immediately disappeared at Satsuki's words. Without missing a beat, the two ran towards each other.

Only for Taiga to pass through Satsuki.

"What –oh," the Seirin heir muttered when he understood what happened. "Don't worry, okay? Everything will be fine," he assured the worried pinkette, who only nodded. He then turned back to Seijuurou who was silently watching them. "What do we do now?"

Seijuurou didn't answer. Instead, he wrote on the thin air once more, and seconds later, out came a crimson dragon. "You know what to do," he told the flaming dragon who nodded slightly. "Rui will get you out of here," he said when he returned his attention to Taiga and Satsuki. "She will also help ensure that Satsuki's soul is restored in her body."

"What about you?" Taiga asked as Rui assisted Satsuki to climb atop her.

"I will follow you. I still have something to settle with Tetsumi," Seijuurou said, his expression now cold and distant that it sent unpleasant shivers down Taiga's spine. "Take everybody with you back to the forest." Then without waiting for Taiga's reply, he turned and began to walk away, eventually disappearing into the darkness.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

He didn't know for how long he was walking in the darkness and to be honest, Seijuurou didn't really care. Though it was faint, he could actually feel Tetsuya's presence. He walked and walked until he found a huge door in front of him. He didn't move to open it and just stood there waiting for he knew, it would eventually open itself for him.

And it did seconds later. Without any hesitation, Seijuurou moved forward, the door closing shut behind him. Contrary to the darkness outside, the place beyond the huge door was filled with light – light that reflects over the ice that seemed to cover its entirety.

"I was wondering if you'd ever get here," a familiar feminine voice said which made Seijuurou look up from where he was standing. There, at the top of a cliff made of ice, was Tetsumi. She was the same beautiful, yet utterly wicked, Tetsumi he knew two centuries ago. The same Tetsumi who became obsessed with the idea of power.

And the same Tetsumi who broke his beloved's heart.

"Hi, almighty emperor," she added with a sly smile on her face as they regarded each other. "I almost didn't recognise you with that child body of yours." She then let out a loud laugh as if she found her words funny.

"Where's Tetsuya?" Seijuurou, completely ignoring her verbal assaults, asked. He had been observing the place since he got inside but still, there was no sign of his beloved bluenet.

But he knew the other male was there for he could feel him strongly.

"Awww, you never really changed despite after two hundred years," Tetsumi said in a mock-hurt voice. "You're always Tetsuya this, Tetsuya that. You really never saw me, did you? Tetsuya was the only one you saw!"

"Because he was the only one that mattered to me." With the hate that was spewing out of Tetsumi's gaze, Seijuurou knew that he had to choose his words carefully. But he couldn't give a damn anymore. Tetsumi knew all along that his heart belongs to Tetsuya.

And she must deal with it.

"And you think I would let you two be happy?" Tetsumi hissed. "Tetsuya is mine!" Then with a wave of her hand, the sculptures around her began to take form and move. "Slay him!" she yelled as she motioned to Seijuurou who went tense.

Flames erupted around Seijuurou causing the ice soldiers to easily melt away once they were in his immediate vicinity. "Did you really think I can be defeated by these weaklings?" he asked a raging Tetsumi as the assaulting ice soldiers went on attacking him from every direction.

"Of course not," Tetsumi replied, her angry expression dissipating into a smug one which Seijuurou didn't like one bit. "But he can though," she added as she motioned behind the redhead.

Seijuurou immediately turned around, guard up, only for his mismatch orbs to widen in shock at the sight that greeted him. For there, standing a few feet away from him, teal orbs glassy, was no other than Kuroko Tetsuya. "Tetsuya…" he murmured the bluenet's name, his heart pounding hard once more at the sight of his beloved. Even after two centuries of pure agony and longing, his heart really never forgot to whom it really belonged to.

But the happiness that was slowly engulfing him, was suddenly ripped into tiny pieces the moment Seijuurou caught of the greatsword that Tetsuya was holding. His stomach sank, his good mood squashed, when the bluenet lifted Ice and pointed it at him without any hesitation. "My apologies, Sei," were the words that came out of Kuroko Tetsuya's mouth before he swiftly attacked Seijuurou.

The redhead, because he was inside the body of a child, was faster than Tetsuya. He easily evaded the swings the bluenet made as he willed for his flames to extinguish. There's no way he could ever hurt his beloved. "Tetsuya, wake up! This isn't you," he desperately called as he continued to evade the bluenet's attacks.

"Oh, he knows it, emperor," Tetsumi said in a bored tone from where she stood. She smirked when Seijuurou glared at her. "But dear Tetsuya cannot control himself right now since you know, he belongs to me and all of my commands he will obey. Am I right, Tetsuya?"

"No."

"Then kill Akashi Seijuurou."

"No."

But despite his words, Tetsuya's actions were contradictory. Seijuurou was surprised to see glazed teal orbs staring intently at him, silently begging him to end everything now. "No, no way I am going to harm you, Tetsuya."

"Then you should just let him kill you then," Tetsumi chimed in. "But then, Tetsuya would absolutely drown in guilt afterwards."

Ignoring Tetsumi's taunts, Seijuurou pressed his palms together. Then when he separated them, he was already pulling a greatsword, the same length as Ice, from his left palm. Its blade, just like every greatswords, was made up of dragon glass while its handle was a deep shade of black encrusted with ruby stones. "I'm going to help you, Tetsuya," he said, voice laced with determination, as he met Tetsuya's every attack with his greatsword, Rogue, this time. "I'm going to save you, my love."

"You have to kill me in order to save me," Tetsuya responded, his blows getting subtly weaker by the passing second. Despite being one of the strongest mages during Teiko's reign, he wasn't really known for his exceptional physical combat skills.

"There's another way," Seijuurou said then he changed direction and headed for Tetsumi who looked frightened for a second before he was blocked by Tetsuya. "Damn."

Certain that she was out of harm's way, Tetsumi laughed maniacally. "I told you killing him would be the easiest way to end this all, my dear emperor. I'm sure you heard Tetsuya as well."

"No," Seijuurou muttered stubbornly as flames erupted around him once more, forcing Tetsuya to stumble back. Flaming dragons, like Rui, appeared, crashing and destroying the ice realm. "I was taught not to harm women, Kuroko Tetsumi, but for you I will make an exception." Then with that, his flaming dragons then swiftly headed towards a now pale Tetsumi.

Seijuurou would have enjoyed the sight of a burning Tetsumi if not for Tetsuya who swiftly approached his hysterical sister and attempted to shield her from the incoming onslaught of flames. The redhead clicked his tongue as he moved as well and pushed Tetsuya out of the way.

Seijuurou knew, as his dragons' flames hit and burned him, that he should've pulled back their assault. But he also knew, as he heard Tetsuya's agonized scream, that he wasn't able to think straight anymore, knowing that his beloved's life was on the line.

Saving Tetsuya, for him, was a good way to burn.

"Sei!" The pain immediately lessened as he felt something cool wrapping his burning body. Seijuurou struggled to open his eyes and he saw Tetsuya kneeling beside him, panting and using Ice as a support to stay upright. They were enclosed in the bluenet's magic, protecting the two of them from his dragons' flames. "Sei…"

"I'm fine, Tetsuya…" Seijuurou replied before he winced as he sat up. He'll mind the burns later, for now, something more important needs his attention. "How…"

"I'm not sure how I got free of Tetsumi's control as well," Tetsuya said even before Seijuurou could finish his question. "We need to stop this now." Then with that, he pressed his free hand on the redhead's forehead, his hand glowing. Seconds later, Seijuurou could feel most of his wounds slowly closing up. "I hope it brings you a bit of comfort. I can't do so much right now with my weakened state."

"It's okay. Thank you," Seijuurou said with a smile as he touched Tetsuya's hand that was pressed against his forehead. "Tetsuya–"

A ferocious growl interrupted Seijuurou from what he was about to say. He and Tetsuya immediately looked up and watched how his flaming dragons vanished as another dragon, though certainly more hideous with its decaying scales, sharp teeth, and huge snake-like eyes, swooped down and landed in front of a laughing Tetsumi.

"This isn't over, my dears," the blue-haired queen exclaimed, her eyes dancing with mirthless delight as the monster let out another deafening growl. "This is my masterpiece – the Jabberwocky. Pretty, isn't it?" she cooed before the madness in her eyes returned. "Off with their heads!"

At her command, the jabberwocky flapped its enormous wings and swooped down towards Seijuurou and Tetsuya. The bluenet swiftly pulled the redhead, who winced, and the two of them hid behind a giant ice boulder. "Can your dragons kill that thing?" the bluenet asked.

Seijuurou shook his head. "I have been too careless with the use of my magic, I almost drained it." And he mentally kicked himself for that.

Tetsuya saw Seijuurou silently berating himself and he would have none of it. "There's still a way, Sei," he said, not liking the way that warm crimson light he had loved was slowly being extinguished from his beloved. When the redhead looked at him, he quickly explained what he planned to do in three words: "The Vorpal Sword."

Seijuurou's mismatched orbs widened at that, then without any word, he pressed his hands together as if on prayer and slowly pulled Rogue out again. They stared at each other for a moment before he stabbed his sword to the ground, and holding it by the hilt, closed his eyes.

Tetsuya, silently impressed by Seijuurou's immediate obedience, stabbed Ice right in front of Rogue. And as a swirl of blue mist surrounded them, he closed his eyes as well and began the silent incantation to conjuring the most powerful sword ever known in the wizarding world.

The Jabberwocky, whose attention was caught by the blue glow behind the Ice boulders, immediately approached, its claws and fangs bared, ready to slay the enemies of his queen.

But contrary to what Tetsumi had hoped, the moment the Jabberwocky came in contact with the glow, it was met not by human flesh but by something hard. The metallic clang it made when it met the Jabberwocky's fangs, resounded all over the room.

"This game of yours is over, Tetsumi." As the glow faded, Tetsumi saw the Jabberwocky's fangs stopped by no other than Seijuurou. The redhead was holding a huge sword with its blade made of obsidian. The sword was all black in colour though its hilt was decorated with ruby and sapphire stones, a crimson and azure aura surrounding it.

It was a combination of Rogue and Ice, something that was only heard in legends.

In the wizarding world, there are several legendary weapons that were once owned by great mages. One of them is the Vorpal Sword. It was a greatsword originally owned by the ancestors of House Aka and House Kuro, forged by the elements of ice and fire, and was meant to slay powerful beasts such as the Jabberwocky. It had been handed down from one generation to another until a thousand years ago, it was split into two when House Aka and House Kuro came in conflict with each other. The results of that split were Rogue and Ice who were in the possession of the Houses' current lords – Seijuurou and Tetsuya.

"The Vorpal Sword? Impossible!" Tetsumi exclaimed in disbelief as Seijuurou forced the Jabberwocky away. Behind the redhead was Tetsuya whose eyes remained close, a soft blue glow surrounding him.

It was as if he was lending his strength to Seijuurou, the shadow that was empowering the light.

"Kill him first!" Tetsumi yelled as he motioned to Tetsuya. The Jabberwocky immediately obeyed her but Seijuurou blocked its way.

"I'm your opponent, you monster," the redhead said and despite his small body, he swung the greatsword with ease, and with the aid of his excellent ability in jumping, stabbed the Jabberwocky's left eye so deep it left him blind and howling in pain. And as the monster was distracted with its pain, flames erupted around them before Seijuurou brought the blade down its neck, thereby decapitating the Jabberwocky.

As Tetsumi's enraged screams filled the surrounding, Seijuurou felt himself falling from the ice boulder. The Vorpal blade vanished in thin air for he could feel his magic already draining, his wounds suddenly hurting again. Closing his eyes, he let himself fall.

Ah, saving Tetsuya was always a good way to burn.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

He didn't know how long he was unconscious but one thing was for sure, his whole body ached. "Damn," he softly cursed as pain shot through his whole system the moment he tried to move.

"Careful," a familiar voice, one that he had longed to hear the most, said as a pair of familiar, warm hands helped him to sit up. "How are you feeling?"

"Burned," Seijuurou replied sourly then he smiled when he heard the other's soft laugh. Mismatched orbs then blinked open and was greeted by the smiling face of one Kuroko Tetsuya. "What happened?" he asked as he took in their surroundings. They were still inside Tetsumi's ice realm though it was almost charred and the evil queen was nowhere to be found. "Where's Tetsumi?"

"She managed to escape," Tetsuya replied which had Seijuurou scowling. "We'll find her later but for now, we have to treat those wounds of yours." He motioned to the small cuts and burns that the redhead have acquired. "You're lucky your dragons are lenient when it comes to you."

"I just got used to their flames," Seijuurou blandly said which had Tetsuya laughing again. Then his mismatched orbs turned serious as he cupped the bluenet's face and pulled him closer so their foreheads touched. "I longed for this day to come, that I could hold you in my arms again, Tetsuya," he murmured, then without letting the bluenet reply, he pressed their lips together for a passionate kiss.

A glow surrounded the two the moment their lips touched. Tetsuya watched in awe as the child Seijuurou he had been kissing seconds ago was now replaced by the young man who used to rule the Empire of Teiko. "The curse Tetsumi placed upon you was broken, Sei," he happily said.

"Cured by true love's kiss," Seijuurou said which made Tetsuya blush. He laughed but then stopped when it their surroundings suddenly began to shake. "Let's get out of here."

"Let's," Tetsuya said in agreement as he helped Seijuurou to his feet. The two of them then slowly headed to the huge door. "At the rate we're going, we're gonna get killed even before we reach that door."

"Do you have a better idea?" Seijuurou asked, not really bothered about dying since he already has Tetsuya beside him. He could ask for nothing more. "Thought so," he added when the smaller male just shrugged at him.

The couple were already prepared to die but luck seemed to be by their side for seconds later, the doors opened and revealed Daiki and Ryota. "Seicchi/Seijuurou! Tetsucchi/Tetsu!" the two yelled in happiness as they met the two halfway.

"Let's talk later, Ryota-kun, Daiki-kun," Tetsuya said the moment they got near. "Sei is injured. Let's get out of here before this place crumbles." Daiki immediately carried an indignant Seijuurou while Ryota kept an eye on Tetsuya as the four of them left the ice realm and the mirror as well.

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

"Huh, where am I?" Tetsumi asked herself as she looked around the place she was in. Baby blue eyes then widened in terror when she realised that she was in a boat that was travelling through a dark lake. She bit her lip, silently hoping that this place wasn't the place she thought it was. But her hopes were eventually crushed when the boat stopped in the middle and pale, lifeless hands began to show from the water's surface.

"I'm glad to know that you know where we are, Tetsumi," a deep voice said which made the bluenette look up. She saw Nash standing at the edge of the boat, his blank face revealing nothing, and totally unmindful of the approaching underwater cadavers – remains of the lost souls that someone like Nash had collected.

"N-Nash, please give me another chance," she pleaded, terror in her voice and expression as she almost knelt down in front of the golden-haired male. "I'm going to get you more souls this time."

"I can do it by myself," Nash said which made Tetsumi froze. He shrugged as he effortlessly pushed her out of the boat and directly onto the waiting cadavers. He watched as the dark water bubbled before it changed into the colour red. "I want Kuroko Tetsuya and I lost him because of you," he murmured as he slowly disappeared into the darkness. "I'll be back for you, Tetsuya. This isn't the last time you'll be seeing me."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

Tetsuya jolted from his seat, his spine suddenly tingling with unpleasantness. Beside him, Seijuurou lifted one perfect brow. "Something the matter, love?" he asked as he wrapped an arm around the bluenet and pulled him snug to his side.

"Nothing, I'm just tired, I guess," Tetsuya said as he rested his head on Seijuurou's shoulder, images of Nash suddenly flicking through his mind's eye. He haven't really found out what happened to the golden-haired male and to his twin actually but he hoped they would not be a problem for him and Seijuurou in the future.

"Then let's get you to bed," Seijuurou said. Because he was back to his original body, he was able to heal thrice as fast. So after three days, it seemed like he hadn't suffered major degree burns after all. He was about to stand up but Tetsuya stopped him. "What?"

"Let's hear what Satsuki-san has to say first," Tetsuya said. After a week of taking care of the repair of the kingdom of Too, and preparations for Satsuki taking over the throne, she and Taiga came to visit the Generation of Miracles at the Enchanted Forest saying that they have an announcement to make. Everyone got curious of course, even the stingy Daiki.

"They're getting married." Seijuurou laughed at the way Tetsuya's eyes widened in surprise. Not being able to restrain himself, he dipped his head and stole a quick kiss from the bluenette's slightly parted lips. He laughed again when the smaller male pouted at him. "It was way too obvious with they way they were acting around each other, love, plus the fact that Satsuki's already wearing an engagement ring."

"Not bad observation skills, Seijuurou," Tetsuya commented which had Seijuurou chuckling. Then with another smile, the bluenet stood up and pulled the redhead out to the gardens with him where their friends are currently lounging, enjoying good food, a peaceful summer night, and good company. They found Daiki arguing with Taiga while Satsuki and the others watched in amusement.

"Oi, Tetsu, Seijuurou," Daiki called when he saw the two of them approaching. "Bakagami says he and Satsuki are getting married," he grumbled.

"Why are you opposed, Aho?!" Taiga exclaimed, his ears turning a deeper shade of red every second. "Are you in love with Satsuki?!"

"Awwww, Dai-chan! You sweet chocolate!" Satsuki exclaimed as she threw herself onto Daiki who immediately caught her. "I didn't know you love me!"

"S-Shut up, Hag! I'm doing my duty as a citizen of this realm, to make sure you two don't wreak havoc when you get married," Daiki grumbled as he tried pushing Satsuki off him but it was proven futile. "Ow! What was that for?!" he yelled when she hit him hard at the head.

"Idiot! That's why you can't get Ki-chan's affection because you're such an insensitive guy!" Satsuki lectured which had Daiki blushing so hard and the rest to laugh.

"Rest it, Daiki. You can't ever win with her," Shintaro commented as he fixed the ribbon of the bear plushie that was his lucky item for the day.

"Sa-chin is the best," Atsushi added which made Satsuki glomp him while squealing in delight. "Sa-chin, can I have another strawberry cheesecake?"

"I love you, Daicchi!" Ryota exclaimed which had Daiki flushing even more. He winked at Satsuki before he pressed a kiss onto the tanned male's mouth, effectively shutting him up.

"We wish you two good luck, Satsuki-san," Tetsuya said and the couple beamed at him. "Thank you for all the help that you've extended us. Without you, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Awwww, Tetsu-kuuuunnnn!" Satsuki exclaimed as she enveloped Tetsuya in a bear hug. "Anything for you."

"Maybe you could let Tetsuya go, Satsuki," Seijuurou said with a small twitch of his brows. He couldn't help but be possessive at the sight of somebody else holding his Tetsuya. The twitching intensified when she just stuck his tongue to him.

"Sorry, sorry," Taiga, who fortunately noticed Seijuurou's expression, pulled Satsuki away from Tetsuya who immediately heaved a sigh of relief. The pinkette's attention was then taken by Atsushi who asked for another helping of the cake she brought.

"Don't be jealous, Sei," Tetsuya said as he smoothed the crease on Seijuurou's brow. He smiled when the redhead stared down at him. "I'm only yours."

"And I'm yours as well, Tetsuya," Seijuurou said as he pressed their foreheads together. "Forever and always."

"Hmm… I like the sound of that."

**_~AkaKuro~_ **

_Epilogue_

Three years later…

"Wow, she's so cute!" Ryota squealed as he stared at the baby lying down on the expensive crib. He reached out and tickled her tummy which made her giggle. He cooed again, "Awwww!"

"Shut up, Ryota," Daiki grumbled before he turned to the baby's proud parents. "Good thing she looked like Satsuki and not you, Bakagami."

Satsuki laughed at that while Taiga scowled at Daiki. "And what's that supposed to mean, Aho?!"

"That you're as ugly as fuck."

"Language, Daiki," Seijuurou scolded before he turned to the king and queen of the kingdoms of Seirin and Too. "Each one of us brought gifts for little Tanya. Can we give them now?" he asked. It was the christening of Taiga and Satsuki's daughter, Tanya, and the Generation of Miracles were invited, not only as special guests, but as godfathers to the newly-born princess. The six happily accepted the invitation.

"If you please," Satsuki replied as she, Taiga, and the rest of the kingdoms of Seirin and Too watched as the group of legendary mages surrounded the baby. This baby is certainly the most protected and most cherished baby in the whole kingdom.

Ryota went first. "Know that despite its cruelty, the world out there remains to be a beautiful place. So, my adorable Tanya-cchi, I bestow upon you the gift of beauty and the ability to see beauty from everyone else. Use this gift to turn your world into a world that is much more beautiful than what you have now, ssu." Then with that, the blond flicked his hand and golden sparkles fell onto the baby, who giggled in delight at the sight.

Daiki then stepped forward the moment Ryota was finished. "Laughter is the best medicine, it seems so, brat." Shintaro silently reprimanded him from behind about his poor choice of language while Taiga scowled at him though the tanned male paid no heed to both. "So, yeah, I grant you the gift of humour so you could learn to laugh happily and freely and be able to look at the positive side of the problems that life will certainly throw at you."

"Awww, Dai-chan," Satsuki cooed which had Daiki glaring at her.

"Shut up, Satsuki."

As Shintaro reprimanded Daiki once more, Seijuurou spoke up. "You will be the queen of this beautiful kingdom someday, Tanya, and a good ruler needs excellent leadership skills, so I am going to grant you wisdom. Receive this as a gift from an emperor who led his empire to greatness once upon a time." Murmurs began to circulate among the audience as Seijuurou said those words. Without paying everyone his precious attention, except for the male beside him, he retreated.

Tetsuya smiled at Seijuurou before he approached the smiling princess. "The previous gifts you have received will make you arrogant one day, Princess, if not properly balanced. So I'm giving you the gift of kindness. Be kind to your parents and subjects. Kindness begets kindness, dear one. Never forget that." Satsuki brushed away the tears that fell to her cheeks as the bluenet bowed to the baby before retreating.

Shintaro was next. "I agree with Tetsuya. Beauty, humour, and wisdom, if not properly balanced, will corrupt you in the long run. Therefore, I grant you the gift of humility. Your subjects will listen to you if you know how to listen to them as well. Your status as royalty doesn't make you any different from each of humankind."

Atsushi, who was surprisingly not eating anything, came up last. "Princess-chin, I will give you umaibo but you can't eat them yet so I will give you courage instead – the courage to stand up against injustice and finding the strength to lead this kingdom, most especially, the courage to get up every morning and face the world with a beautiful smile on your face."

Applause rang around the palace as the Generation of Miracles finished giving their gifts to the newborn princess. As the festivities started, Tetsuya found himself in Seijuurou's arms once more. Even after three years, the redhead was still clingy. "Tetsuya, I want a baby," he said in an almost childish way that had the bluenet laughing. "Don't laugh. I'm serious."

"You know males can't give birth, Sei."

"Yes, we can."

There was a mischievous glint in Seijuurou's eyes that had the bluenet paling. "Akashi Seijuurou, you can't use a magic spell to impregnate me. I am so going to counter you," he said. It wasn't that he didn't want to have a child with his beloved. In fact, he really does. Who would never want a Seijuurou look-alike running around their house?

But then, the magic spell was so complicated it needed to be executed right and he must not give in to Seijuurou's whims that easily.

Tetsuya was so sure of himself that when Seijuurou's smirk widened, he knew he had been screwed. Literally and figuratively. "You did–"

"You're too late, Tetsuya."


End file.
